Gunners extra firepower has final reward

Wednesday 31 January 2007 19.52 EST
First published on Wednesday 31 January 2007 19.52 EST

This hard road to the Carling Cup final will make Arsenal appreciate the meeting with Chelsea on February 25 all the more. Jérémie Aliadière had to notch the most valuable goal of his enigmatic time with the club to get them to the Millennium Stadium. In the closing moments of the first period of extra-time he pounced as the substitute Ricardo Rocha half-cleared a Denilson cross and swept home an impeccable drive.

By then, Arsenal had re-established themselves against gritty visitors who could not cope as smoothness returned to Arsène Wenger's team. Tottenham had summoned up an equaliser to Emmanuel Adebayor's 77th-minute opener. With five minutes of normal time remaining, the newly arrived substitute Mido headed in a Jermaine Jenas free-kick to level the tie.

In the semi-finals of this tournament away goals do not count until extra-time is completed and the Egyptian's finish for Tottenham thereby cancelled out Arsenal's efforts in drawing 2-2 at White Hart Lane a week ago. By the end, however, Martin Jol's team were being reminded by the Emirates crowd of the 2-0 advantage they had blown on that occasion.

The rivalry with Wenger's side is one of almost constant pain for Tottenham and this occasion even had secondary sorrows. Clive Allen, the development coach, was involved in an altercation with a fan and asked by a steward to leave the technical area.

When the details are stowed away, the broad impression will again be of rightful success for the more refined team. Tomas Rosicky epitomised that. Of the senior players, only Thierry Henry enjoyed a night off and the Czech was introduced, for the teenager Theo Walcott, when a combative Tottenham were refusing to succumb. It was Rosicky who played the through-ball that Adebayor slotted past Paul Robinson.

The set-up artist was a major figure at Arsenal's third goal. His finish crashed against a post and then rebounded into the net off Tottenham's right-back Pascal Chimbonda. It seemed a needless cruelty for a side whose endeavour at the Emirates was creditable even if Arsenal could not be overcome.

Tottenham had been beleaguered from before the start. Illness ruled Aaron Lennon out of the line-up and then it was realised he could not occupy a spot on the bench either. It was too late for Lee Young-Pyo to be permitted to occupy that seat. Arsenal, on the other hand, were not short-staffed in any sense.

The final was too near for Wenger to stick with his policy of using this competition to flaunt the next generation of talent. There was plenty of scope for examining Tottenham's solidity, with Arsenal generally on the attack. With 14 minutes gone, a Denilson drive flew straight to Robinson but the England goalkeeper did not hold it and Kolo Touré, following up, bundled the ball wide of the post.

Wenger employed a 4-3-3 system that stretched Tottenham, with Theo Walcott and Aliadière ready to pull right or left respectively when the ball ran to their flank. There has to be fluidity as well if people are to be in position to shoot. The principles were demonstrated after 23 minutes when an overlapping Justin Hoyte crossed low and Aliadière was in the middle for an effort that ran off target.

Tottenham, on the break, hinted at incisiveness now and again. A long pass by Michael Dawson in the 10th minute put Robbie Keane clear, but Manuel Almunia came off his line to block and then challenged again to ensure that nothing more was conceded than a throw-in.

Hossan Ghaly surged on the right after 38 minutes and Steed Malbranque, striving to apply power, sent a header wide. The prospect of a cup final appearance had the players bristling. With the contest barely under way, Philippe Senderos was sporting a bandage around his head after being caught by Ghaly's elbow and the later smattering of yellow cards was inevitable.

Gaël Clichy was introduced for Armand Traoré, who was carried off on a stretcher with what might have been a serious case of cramp. For all that, Arsenal could not be contained easily and Spurs had to cope after conceding free-kicks near their own area. Jol reacted by bringing on Rocha for the less experienced Anthony Gardner.

Ultimately, the Portuguese defender contributed to the key goal for Arsenal. Having just got here, Rocha already understands the horrors this fixture too often holds for Tottenham.